ICOP Digital is specialized in advancing digital surveillance solutions.  Could you introduce your company and technology to our readers?

ICOP Digital protects people, assets and profits for communities with innovative, mission-critical security, surveillance and communication solutions.  The company engineers, manufactures and markets mobile and stationary surveillance products for use in the public and private sectors, and facilitates the delivery of live video to first responders.  The ICOP Model 20/20-W, ICOP’s flagship, award-winning product, is the leading digital in-car video recorder system for law enforcement. 

The ICOP GuardianTM is a stationary IP camera that records high-quality video images on a local server, and is capable of activation through several triggers.   ICOPLIVETM delivers live streaming video to and from first responder vehicles and headquarters, empowering first responders with enhanced real-time situational awareness and actionable intelligence, optimizing the outcome of a crisis.  ICOPLIVE delivers live video wirelessly to first responders over any wireless network and to multiple mobile or stationary IP-enabled devices simultaneously.  The ICOP Model 4000TM, ICOP’s newest advanced surveillance solution, is the next-generation transit/ rail DVR system.  The ICOP Model 4000 uses less power than traditional DVR’s, which means less heat and translates into a more reliable unit with less downtime. 

In addition, the ICOP Model 4000 boasts many advanced and innovative features and capabilities, such as wireless file uploading and wireless video streaming, among many others.

Please explain the current U.S. market for digital surveillance solutions.  And what are your marketing strategies that you are uniquely adopting for success there?

ICOP operates on the core principle that “without local security, there is no national security.” ICOP’s community-centric Veil of Protection is made possible through a powerful and comprehensive suite of proprietary, interoperable surveillance and communications solutions, delivering live streaming video to first responders where and when they need it, and providing unimpeachable high-quality digital recorded evidence for use in a court of law. 

Worldwide, consumers have largely transitioned from perceiving video surveillance as a privacy intrusion, to that of acceptance, and now one of expectation.  Video surveillance has proven to be of immeasurable value in helping to advance and enhance safety and security -- both in the public and private sectors.  With ICOP solutions, it is possible to optimize the management and outcome of a security breach, crisis situation or crime-in-progress through the delivery of live streaming video, real-time situational awareness and high-quality recorded evidence. 

Since first introducing to market the ICOP Model 20/20 digital in-car video system for law enforcement in mid-2005, the award-winning solution (and its “next-generation” successor, the ICOP Model 20/20-W) is now deployed in hundreds of agency patrol fleets serving communities in 49 states.  In 2008, ICOP plans to leverage its strong foothold in the U.S. law enforcement market to promote widespread adoption of our full suite of surveillance and communications solutions by new customers in both the public and private sectors.   

Targeted end users who may most benefit from ICOP’s solutions include:

• First responders law enforcement, local fire fighters, crisis managers, tactical coordinators, emergency medical personnel, etc.
• Public and private schools elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges for both fixed and mobile (buses) applications
• Commercial enterprises banks, credit unions, building owners/ managers, retailers, shopping malls, apartment complexes/ condominiums, industrial complexes, residential and commercial construction sites, shipyards, etc.
• Public venues sports stadiums, theaters, recreational parks, airports, mass transit stations, etc.
• Utilities waste and water treatment facilities, nuclear power plants, electric and gas companies, etc.
• Municipal, state and federal facilities government buildings and vehicles, military installations, etc.

ICOP has teamed with Sprint Nextel to bring the its full suite of products to communities nationwide because the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, optimized by EV-DO Revision A, provides the required power and national reach necessary to enable ICOP’s digital surveillance solutions to deliver live streaming video and audio to first responders and tactical coordinators to optimize the response, management and outcome of crisis situations occurring within a community; and together, the companies can leverage their combined strengths and respective industry leadership to accelerate broad market adoption of ICOP technologies and solutions to protect people, assets and profits.  ICOP has also partnered with Strix Systems, a specialist in high-performance wireless mesh networking, to collaborate on pursuing mutually beneficial sales opportunities, both in the U.S.A. and abroad, for our respective advanced surveillance and wireless mesh networking solutions.

What kinds of products are in great demand in the U.S. digital surveillance market?

One of the first sessions hosted at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 2007 winter meeting in Washington D.C. specifically addressed proposed initiatives to fight rising crime.  Specifically, city leaders are calling for federal-local partnerships to stem double-digit increases in murders, assaults and robberies in the U.S. communities.  Furthermore, the National League of Cities has put the surge in violent crime on its legislative agenda, naming it one of the major challenges materially compromising quality of life. 

Use of digital video surveillance technology is a proven crime deterrent, in addition to being a proven tool for successfully prosecuting criminals in court.  As a consequence, we expect to continue seeing accelerated adoption of digital in-car video systems by law enforcement agencies -- and the ICOP Model 20/20-W, in particular.  It’s important to note that pervasive use of video in the courts is promoting a number of powerful ancillary benefits including reduced case loads, lessened trial times and material cost savings for DA offices -- particularly for those cases involving DUIs, traffic violations, vehicle pursuits, assaults on officers, narcotics enforcement, domestic violence and defense of civil litigation against law enforcement officers.  In fact, given the evidentiary power of digital video, prosecutors are now taking a proactive role in educating local government officials and law enforcement agencies on the need for adoption of mobile surveillance technology by local police departments, sheriffs’ offices and state highway patrol agencies.  Many court officials are even insisting on it.

However, only digital video systems capable of delivering unimpeachable, irrefutable audio and video footage are capable of providing prosecuting attorneys with the evidence they require to guarantee convictions. 

Currently on the market are digital systems that offer a variety of recording formats, such as MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, JPEG, WAVELET, quarter VGA and full VGA.  According to a 2004 IACP study, potential jurors, coming from the modern technology-based society, use their home computers to alter, enhance and improve their digital pictures on a regular basis.  Thus the juror may be susceptible to suggestions of tampering.  Also of concern should be the fact that MPEG formats do not provide a 100% true representation of the incident, because the technology does not provide for “frame by frame” compression.  Further, quarter VGA files appear pixilated when enlarged so that they may be viewable by jurors --  this enlargement process gravely degrades images and compromises potentially critical details.  Consequently, the ideal solution is footage captured on a digital video system that records in full VGA, providing maximum image quality and integrity of data, and preventing authorized access and editing of video files.  Further, event footage embedded with such features as GPS technology, automatic pre-event recording and/or inputted case details, materially enhance the evidentiary value of the captured video.  All of these advanced functions and features, among many others, are available today in the ICOP Model 20/20-W. 

In addition, ICOP fully anticipates that demand for mobile digital surveillance solutions by the mass transit industry will also continue to escalate, helped by a rise in federal and state funding/grant programs, thus presenting an exciting and compelling growth opportunity for the ICOP Model 4000, our newest digital surveillance offering designed for specific use on board school, municipal and commercial buses.

How do you anticipate the global digital surveillance market in 2008 and what are your plans to penetrate the global market this year?

Fueled by threat of terrorism, elevated safety and security concerns, and increasingly generous government funding support in leading world markets, demand for stationary and mobile digital surveillance technologies has never been stronger.  In fact, ICOP believes that a considerable percentage of our growth over the next several years will stem from sales to agencies and governmental bodies outside the U.S.A., with particular emphasis in Australia, Europe, the Middle East, South America and Canada.  

Aside from supporting a growing global network comprised of leading independent manufacturer representatives and dealers who specialize in marketing high-end security and surveillance solutions to government and enterprise clientele, ICOP has also teamed with Strix Systems, as previously noted, to accelerate our global market penetration efforts.   Having well over 500 installations around the world in more than 30 countries, Strix is the technology, performance and industry leader in multi-radio wireless mesh networking equipment deployed for public safety, municipal networks, rapid transit, mining operations, large enterprise and more.  ICOP is working closely with Strix and our global independent representative and dealer network to promote broad acceptance and adoption of our full suite of advanced surveillance and communications solutions to international customers in both the public and private sectors.

Please tell us more about your distribution network for your products around the world.

As mentioned, ICOP is currently engaged in expanding its global network of highly reputable independent manufacturer representatives and dealers, and is actively seeking and qualifying new distributors in targeted regions around the world.  Currently, we are working with leading distributors in Mexico, Australia, and the Middle East. 

It is important to emphasize that ICOP’s standards are notably high when choosing our distribution and marketing partners.  We insist that they remain well educated on our products’ and solutions’ many differentiated features, benefits and customer advantages.  Moreover, our chosen distributors must have the capability to install our equipment and provide tier one tech support locally (with ICOP providing back-up sales, marketing, technical and engineering support from our headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas, the U.S.A.).  To protect and enhance our hard won reputation for providing superior customer service and support, every ICOP representative, dealer and distributor is required to travel to our offices in Kansas to undergo comprehensive initial sales and product training, as well as participate in scheduled field training and product review programs hosted by ICOP throughout the year.

Sunny Kim is Editor of SecurityWorld INT’L.  Send your comments to kbs@infothe.com.